Of Many Colours
by MortiferSB
Summary: In which Taylor has the Second True Magic.
1. Blue 1-1

Taylor Hebert pounded at the locker door. The stench of the waste hit her like a fist, and she had to stop herself from vomiting again.

She had to get out. She had t-

_Destination._

_Agreement._

-o get out of here! She coul-

_Trajectory._

_Agreement._

-dn't let _them_ trap her in here.

She had to _get out!_

Taylor felt a surge of power run through her, and the world exploded into colours.

The colours surrounded her, ever shifting, ever changing.

Taylor jerked back in shock.

Her head hit the back of the locker.

No... _No!_

She pushed herself, recreated the power surge. The colours returned, swirling around her.

Pausing, Taylor thought on what was happening.

The second time the colours appeared, she had forced it to. Was she some sort of Parahuman, with a screwed up teleport power? Did all teleporters see this when they teleport?

No, she can think later. The first time it had happened, she ended up back in the locker. Maybe... Maybe she needs to move to get away.

She walked forward, through the colours. Each step tired her further, yet she pushed on.

Taylor looked around. Behind her, where she had came from, was a small 'pocket.' It looked the same as the area around it, but felt different. Looking around, she saw a few more 'pockets.' Maybe she had to go to those to come out somewhere else? Worth a try. She began to walk towards the closest one.

As she walks, she notices a connection, a link, running between her, and... Something. It did not feel like the 'pockets,' yet felt different to the chaotic swirl of colour.

She also noticed 'walls' surrounding groups of 'pockets.' She had no idea what the 'walls' were, but she could figure it out later. For now...

Tired, exhausted, Taylor stretched out her hand and reached for the 'pocket.'

The second she did so, the colours faded, and she found herself on the outskirts of a city.

Collapsing, Taylor gasped for breath. That was... tiring. Really tiring.

She looked around. The city looked nothing like Brockton Bay- there was much more mountains here, for one- and as she looked, Taylor reached a conclusion.

_This isn't home. _

Wherever she was, it looked like she was far from Brockton Bay.

_I need to go back._

Concentrating, Taylor shut her eyes and focused on forcing the colours back.

Nothing changed. No colours swirled.

No... There had to be something she was missing. Maybe she had to feel trapped to do it.

Then she realized; The colours had exhausted her. Maybe she could only use the power a few times before getting rest.

Either way, one thing didn't change.

She was stuck.


	2. Blue 1-2

Taylor walked into the city.

She didn't have any money, or identification, so just waiting to see if she can 'recharge' her Teleport wasn't an option. If it even recharged at all.

Her original plan was to find the Protectorate, and tell them what had happened. They could get her back to Brockton Bay.

But there was... Complications.

For one, no-one in the city she had talked to had even heard of the person asked if she meant 'The Association' or something like that. She had stopped asking after that.

Then there was all the flags. Every single flag in the city was of silver gauntlet on a blue background.

She... She hadn't teleported into an alternate earth, had she?

It was... Possible, if unlikely. The only communication between worlds that she knew of was some messages from Earth Aleph.

Still, it was worth investigating.

Looking around, she saw a man throwing a newspaper in the trash.

Walking over, Taylor grabbed it out, and began reading.

On the front page was a picture of a woman, in a blue costume with a white cape and collar. On the front of her costume was an emblem, identical to the gauntlet on the flag. Next to the woman was a man in a red costume, and a teenage girl in a purple costume

Curious, Taylor began reading.

New Enhanced Identified

Azure Empress Welcomes Enhanced Into The Association

Reading through, Taylor went from curious to panic.

She was definitely on an alternate earth. There was a lot more then nineteen Parahumans on Earth Bet, and they seem to be called 'Enhanced' here.

She was on an alternate earth. And if she was wrong, if she couldn't 'recharge' her teleport, then she was stuck here. She would be stuck on a world where no-one knew her, she'd never see her father again, she-

_No. _There had to be a way back. Panicking wouldn't help her.

Pushing down the panic, Taylor continued reading the Newspaper.

It wasn't very informative. Mainly just propaganda, for this 'Azure Empress.' Although it did note that this new 'Enchanced' seemed to have some sort of ability related to other Parahumans. Being able to sense them within a certain range, and knowing what their power was within a smaller range. He was half a continent away, so he couldn't sense her, even if she was Parahuman.

That thought made her pause. Of _course_ she was Parahuman. There wasn't any other means of teleporting.

Although, if she _was _Parahuman, she might want to experiment with her powers at some stage. See if she could do anything other then world-hopping.

...No, that can come later. Her dimension hopping had tired her out; she didn't want to risk getting more tired, and having to stay here longer.

Sighing, Taylor rolled the Newspaper up, and went looking for a place to sleep.


	3. Blue 1-3

As it turns out, people throw out a _lot _of food.

Enough to eat for a bit, at least.

As Taylor ate, she searched around for somewhere to sleep.

Her clothes were dirty from the locker, but they were still suspicious. People might get suspicious if she walked into a homeless shelter.

As she looked, she began to notice her power returning.

She couldn't say exactly, but Taylor estimated that, at the rate it was returning, she would have enough to return home by the next day.

Unless she teleports into the wrong world.

Taylor stopped.

That's... That's an actual possibility, isn't it?

Crap.

She thinks for a minute.

It could take her days to get home if she goes the wrong way. If she ever gets home at all.

Maybe it was time to experiment after all.

Closing her eyes, Taylor focused on the swirling colours.

Just before the power began surging, she stopped.

Nothing happened.

She frowned. Maybe she was doing this wrong.

Again, she focused on the colours. This time, she tried shifting the colours, as if searching through them.

A surge ran through her, weaker then when she had first used her powers.

The colours continued shifting, then settled.

She could see other worlds.

Smiling, she cast her gaze around. Moving her sight in one direction...

She saw Winslow High from above. Emma and Madison were there, snickering about something. Sophia must've been busy.

Found it.

She cut off the power and opened her eyes.

She cost herself a few hours, but know she knew her way home.


	4. Blue 1-4

Taylor Hebert closed her eyes and focused on the colours.

Time to go home.

The colours swirled into existence, and she moved for her world.

How long had she been gone for? It felt like months, really, but it can't have been much more then a day.

She tired as she walked. Travelling between dimensions was... exhausting.

As she walked, she thought about what might happen when she got home.

Her father would be worried sick, of course. She'd been gone for a day, and she had no way of explaining where she had disappeared to. Maybe she could pretend to have amnesia?

...He'd probably see right through that. Maybe she should tell him, then.

She was starting to pant now.

Almost there...

Got it.

The colours faded and...

...Oh, come on.

It had been cleaned since she had Triggered, but it was still recognizable.

_She was back in the fucking locker._

* * *

Well, her power was recharging.

Whoopdie fucking do.

She had no water, no food, and she had to use the bathroom.

And she had no idea what time it was.

Heck, what day was it, anyway? She had forgotten.

.Maybe she could use her power to get something from an alternate world? It might be possible.

Only one way to be sure.

She closed her eyes and searched.

It would be so easy to see into another world, and try and get something.

But...

She 'looked' at the 'walls' surrounding all the dimensions.

...Her curiosity overwhelmed her.

Well, there should be world behind there, right? And it's not like looking at alternate worlds cost her anything.

She shifted the kaleidoscopic array of colours, pushing through the wall.

More alternate dimensions.

...Well, there had to be a reason they were separated, right?

She moved her gaze to the closest of the dimensions, looking inside.

And saw herself.

...What.


	5. Blue 1-5

Taylor felt a little stupid after getting over the shock.

Of course there were altenate versions of herself. It made sense.

It was a bit wierd, but she shouldn't have been so shocked.

That wierd link going from her alternate to something not in that world? That was more confusing.

...Ah, screw it. Not like she had anything better to do.

Unfocusing on that particular world, Taylor followed the link to it's source.

Reaching an isolated world in the chaotic array of colours, Taylor attempted to move her viewpoint into it...

...And was promptly bounced away.

Oh, come on.

Why couldn't she get into this world? There was obviosuly something inside, judging by the link-

...Wait a second...

Shifting the colours, Taylor attempted to enter the world by following the lin-

..._A~and _she was pushed back to seeing her reality.

Now this was just plain unfair.

She still had enough energy left to search around for a little longer. So why had she been booted back? Now she had to wait until she had enough energy to use her power agai-

Wait, what was that?

A... buzzing? A sense of something...

An insect? She could sense insects?

Wait... Did she just gain a new power by trying to follow the wierd link thing?

She could... She could get differant superpowers? There had to be a catch.

She focused again on the colours...

...And the insects faded from her sense, just before she began looking at the colours between worlds.

Of course. She couldn't use more then one.

Akthough now she had two of the links leading away from her and to somewhere else.

Maybe she could swap back to insects again easily?

Taylor shifted the colours and moved into the link.

The insects returned to her senses.

For all of two seconds, before that sense faded.

...Great, she was out of power again.

* * *

_A~and_ she was charged again.

Good. Now to get out of her.

Colours. Shifting. Walls. Allternate self.

Ooh, just what she needed.

Following the link, Taylor was jolted back into reality.

She smiled, and smashed her head forward.

She hoped she wouldn't run out of power until after she managed to break out of the locker. That would be annoying.


	6. Blue 1-6

It took five minutes to get out of the locker.

Taylor smiled.

Things were finally going her way.

Now she could go home...

...And tell her dad why she's been missing for a day.

Great.

Just... Just _perfect_.

Well, no point beating around the bush. Just use her power in front of him, promise to explain tommorrow. It was getting late, she hadn't eaten, and she was tired.

Surely, nothing could go wrong with that plan, right?

It's offical. The universe hates her.

Sure, she managed to arrive home safely. It's just that there was a police car there.

Of course there was. She must have been reported missing at some point, and someone would have to talk to her dad about it.

Of course, it meant that she had to show off her powers in front of someone she barely knew.

Too late to back out of it now, though. She didn't have the time to throw together a fake story without someone seeing her lie, and if she pleaded amnesia, it might just get put down as her seeking attention.

Damn it.

Well, better get it over with.

She knocked on the door, and waited.

She didn't have to wait long before her father opened the door.

"...Taylor?"

"Hey, dad."

He rushed out and hugged her.

"Thank god your okay." He said. "Where have you been?"

She pulled out of the hug, and looked at him.

"It's... It's a long story." She said.

"I'd like to here this." Said a voice from behind her father. Looking back, Taylor noticed a Police Officer.

"We've been looking for you for hours, miss."

Taylor sighed. Better do it now.

She closed her eyes, felt the surge of power, and entered the multicoloured space between dimensions.

Then she cut it off, returning to reality.

Her father, and the Police Officer, looked at her.

"You..."

"Well, this is outside my area of expertise." Said the Officer. "I better call up the PRT."


	7. Blue Interlude

"Are you certain?" Asked the Azure Empress.

"Yes, my lady." Replied the Enhanced. "I only sensed it for a moment, but it was there. Some sort of dimensional travel ability, if I am not mistaken."

The Azure Empress looked at the boy.

Not really impressive-looking. Built like a twig.

But his ability...

Being able to sense the location and ability of nearby Enhanced wasn't directly useful in maintaining her rule, but, as proven here, it was invaluable.A fine addition to the Association.

She looked at the boy. He stood as still as a statue, waiting for her orders.

"Boy." She said. "I want you to go to where you sensed the Enhanced, and wait to see if whoever it is returns."

The boy hesitates. "My lady... What of my previous orders?"

Ah, yes. She had ordered him to patrol her empire, searching for Enhanced.

"Disregard those orders." She said. "The odds of finding another Enhanced so soon after this one are... Astronomical."

The boy bows. "As you command, my lady."

"Now leave, boy."

"As you command."

The boy walked out of her throne room, and the Azure Empress sat, deep in thought.

"Dimensional travel, huh?"

She looked at the wall besides her, from which hung a map.

A map of her Empire.

"...Yes. That would do nicely."

"Empress?"

The Azure Empress jumped, before glaring at the intruder.

Administer. Her second in command.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"I want to talk." Replied Administer.

The Azure Empress sighed.

"You overheard us?" She questioned.

"I hear everything." He reminded her.

"Yes..."

The Azure Empress looked at him.

"I know what you are going to ask, Administer."

"Empress?"

"Once we recruit this new Enhanced... Yes, Administer. You may"

Administer stood for a moment, before nodding.

"Thank you, Empress."

He turned, and walked out.

The Azure Empress smiled.

"Oh, this will be fun."


	8. Green 2-1

Taylor sat at the table, her father opposite her.

This was awkward.

The Officer had talked to someone on the phone for a few minutes, before informing her father that a member of the Protectorate would arrive soon.

Then he'd went out the front to give them a chance to talk.

Of course, not much talking was actually _done_, but it's the thought that counts.

Danny coughed.

"Er... Taylor?"

She sighed.

Ah, well.

"Yes, dad?"

"Um... What exactly did you do out there? I mean, there was some colours, and you were gone for a moment..."

She tried to smile. Failed.

"Er... It's my power. Something with travelling to alternate worlds."

His eyes widened.

"Alternate worlds?"

Taylor nodded awkwardly. "Yeah."

"Is that..."

"Why I was gone? Yeah. I got stuck in one."

He paused for a while.

"Do you... Want to talk about it?"

Taylor sighed.

"It's a long story.

* * *

Taylor was just getting to the part where she discovered her alternate self, when there was a knock on the door.

Danny looked at the door, then at Taylor. "I'll be right back." He said softly.

Taylor nodded as her father opened the door.

A female figure stood at the door.

"Hello" She said. "May I come in?"

Danny nodded, and she entered.

It took Taylor a moment to recognize her.

Miss Militia.

"So..." She began. "You're Taylor Hebert, right?"

Taylor nodded.

"Nice to meet you." She said. "I'm-"

"Miss Militia." Interrupted Taylor. "Protectorate hero."

"...Well, yes." Replied the hero. "Anyway, I'm not important right now. I heard you Triggered?"

Triggered?

"You know, got powers?"

Oh.

Taylor flickered back into the swirl of colours for a moment, before settling in reality.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Said Miss Militia.

Danny cleared his throat. "Um, ma'am, I know you're going somewhere with this, but Taylor just got back, and I think she needs some rest..."

Miss Militia nodded. "Ah. Yes. I felt like I was disturbing something. Sorry. I was just going to ask if you would mind coming to base to have a talk to the Director..."

"What about?" Asked Taylor.

"Oh, not much. Get your power ratings, discuss your Trigger Event, ask you to join the Wards, not much."

Join the Wards?

Oh boy. Joining _another _group of teenagers that had no reason to get along with her.

Because she didn't get enough high school drama at school!

"Do you mind if we stop by later?" Asked Danny. "I don't want Taylor to feel pressured so soon after..."

"It's fine." Replied Miss Militia. "I'll just tell the Director that you need some time. Come by tomorrow, if you need to."

"Thank you." Said Danny.

Miss Militia nodded, and left.

Danny shut the door, and sat back at the table. "Anyway... You were talking, Taylor?"


	9. Green 2-2

It was an odd feeling, entering the PRT building to talk with the Director.

Taylor looked around. The Gift Shop was open, and she remembered when she had visited the site with her mother.

She still had that Alexandria lunchbox somewhere...

Taylor shook her head. Focus. She was here on business, not to reminisce.

Miss Militia was standing in the lobby, talking to a heavyset woman in a navy blue suit.

Danny walked behind Taylor, ready to interfere if anyone tried to pressure her into anything.

Not that Taylor had any intention of letting anyone pressure her. But still, him being there was reassuring.

Miss Militia spotted them, and waved them over.

The woman in blue watched them as they approached.

Her blonde hair was cut short, and she had a look on her face, like it had forgotten how to smile.

"You must be Taylor Hebert." She said. "I'm Director Piggot. Please, follow me. We have some things to discuss."

* * *

Taylor fidgeted under Piggot's gaze.

"So." Said the Director. "You're a Parahuman."

It wasn't a question, but Taylor nodded anyway.

Piggot was silent for a moment.

"I assume that it's related to why you were missing for a day?"

Taylor nodded again.

"Would you kindly explain what happened?"

The question took Taylor by suprise, but she shook it off. Don't show weakness. Piggot looked like she could smell weakness.

"Ah- Bullying." Taylor began. "They- Emma, Sophia and Madison, I think- filled my locker with w-waste and..." She trailed off. Danny clenched his fist at the mention of Emma, and Piggot seemed surprised, but Taylor ignored her. "I... I wanted to get out. Then... something happened, and..."

"You Triggered." Said the Director.

There's that term again. Miss Militia used it earlier.

Taylor nodded, and Piggot sighed.

"What happened then?" She asked.

"I... I was used my power... And I ended up in a different world."

Piggot went still.

"What."

"A different world." Repeated Taylor. "There was only about twenty Parahumans there, and one of them ruled the world. And they're called 'Enhanced' there."

Piggot was really quiet for a moment, then nodded.

"Okay then. Would you mind going to see some people to get this confirmed?"

Taylor thought for a moment.

"Ah... Sure."

Piggot nodded.

"Miss Militia, could you show Miss Hebert to the testing rooms?

Miss Militia nodded, and opened the door.

Taylor and Danny stood, and walked to leave.

"And Miss Militia?" Called Piggot as they left. The heroine turned to her.

"When Shadow Stalker gets back from her patrol, send her to me."

"Yes, Ma'am." Replied the Protectorate Cape, before shutting the door.

* * *

The testing rooms were made to test any type of Parahuman power possible. A set of dumbbells and weights sat in the corner, near a row of punching bags. A pile of scraps was lying in another corner, obviously meant for Tinkering with. A third corner stored a box full of rats, for some reason.

There was a door to a firing range, opposite the entrance, probably meant to test Blaster powers. Another door next to it lead to a running track, for Mover powers.

"Taylor." Said Miss Militia. "You said your power involved alternate dimensions?"

Taylor nodded.

"Are there any side effects when you use your power?" Asked the heroine.

Taylor nodded again. "It has some sort of power limit. I can only use it so much. If I go to another world, it'll be a day before I come back."

Miss Militia frowned. "Well then... That makes things more difficult. We can't have you ending up somewhere dangerous. We'll have to try something else..."

Insipiration hit Taylor.

"Hold on, I have an idea." She said. "It only drains lot to go to different worlds- it doesn't take as much to go to the space _between _worlds. Maybe I can show you?"

Miss Militia thought about this for a moment. "Hm... Is it safe?"

Taylor paused. "I... don't know. It's never hurt me, but it might be my power that let's me get away unhurt."

Miss Militia turned, and looked at the box of rats.

"There might be a way to test that..."

* * *

It only took a minute or two for Taylor to grab a rat, shunt into the colours, wait a moment, and shunt back.

Miss Militia looked at her. "Well, it looks safe, at least."

Taylor nodded, and Miss Militia put a hand on her shoulder.

"When you're ready."

Taylor breathed in, and focused on the colours.

As they bloomed into existance, Miss Militia looked around.

"Very... Kaleidoscopic." She noted.

Taylor searched around, and pointed. "I don't know if you can see it, but there's another dimension over there."

Then she turned. "And over there, there's some sort of wall. I tried to look past it with my power earlier, and I saw an alternate me, with a different power." She paused. "Also, this is still draining a bit. Can we go back?

Miss Militia nodded, and Taylor canceled her power.

"Well." Said Miss Militia. "That was enlightening. We'll have to do a more thorough test later, but we can't prove that what you do _isn't _alternate universe's, so we'll go with that for now."

Taylor nodded.

"Is there anything else you can do?" Asked the heroine.

Taylor thought on that for a moment. "Well... I can copy the power of alternate me's."

Miss Militia paused, and looked at her. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?"

Taylor nodded.

"Can I have a demonstration?"

Taylor quickly cycled through the powers of alternates she had already.

For a second, all the insects in the room gathered above her hand. Then she scattered them again, and walked to the weights.

Cycling to her brute power, Taylor grabbed a fifty-kilogram weight for each hand, and lifted them above her head.

"Impressive." Said Miss Militia. "That'll do, thanks."

Taylor nodded again- She really needed to do that less, she thought- And put the weights down.

"Okay." Said the Protectorate cape. "Anything else?"

Taylor thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Nothing I can think of."

Miss Militia nodded. "Very well. Now, why don't we talk about you joining the Wards?"

Oh. Hell.


End file.
